Modern data collection and communication techniques have contributed to the development of automated tracking systems that can monitor and display a vast inventory of items. Information that was once written onto paper and stored in filing cabinets is now entered into computer systems, scanned from barcode devices, and read from radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. The movement of products can be tracked efficiently, and important inventory-related metrics can be monitored and analyzed, such as the availability of an item from one location to the next, or the identification of whether the stock of an item is running low.
However, these automated inventory systems are usually not made available to customers who wish to locate and purchase items available in their local retail stores. Instead, these complex inventory systems are often restricted to store employees who are sometimes busy helping other customers or are otherwise busy performing store-related tasks. In larger retail store environments, this disconnect often causes frustration to customers who are unable to find the items they wish to purchase, and it sometimes results in the customers leaving the store without ever finding the item—even if the item is available and in stock.
Kiosks and other types of public terminals are used by some organizations to provide improved self-service options for their customers. Automated teller machines (ATMs), for example, can provide banking services to a customer after the bank has closed for the evening. ATMs perform many of the same functions of a local branch, but at a reduced operating cost to the bank, and often at more convenient locations than the local branches. Another example of a popular self-service option is a check-in kiosk at an airport terminal. These airport check-in kiosks allow travelers to find updates about flight delays, request seating upgrades, and print their own boarding passes, thus allowing busy travelers to bypass the long lines that are typical of check-in terminals staffed by airline employees.